. >> reporter: just under eight years ago he stepped out on the balcony joseph ratzinger chosen to succeed john paul ii who reigned as pope for 25 years. >> he had a hard act to follow. >> a very difficult act. >> reporter: father james marten is editor at large of the magazine "america". >> he is the beloved professor. >> reporter: benedict was a shy man with a great reputation in the church. a theologian a strong advocate for a return to tradition in the face of the modern world. but these were hard years for the catholic church and the pope. there was the agony of the sex abuse scandal in several countries. timothy dolan reflected on the toll of it all. >> when he speaks about the church, when he speaks about christian life they are the most noble, loving, the most elevated sentiments you can have. and for him to see the troubles, the corruption, the scandals that have always inflicted members of the church that's got to weigh on him. >> reporter: another scandal, his personal butler stole a trove of his private correspondence and leaked it to the media. >> he was an incredible shepherd